Pillar of Yita

”Yes.” Fang Hong nodded.

”This is the outer region.”

”Right.”

”Is there a big door here?”

”Indeed.”

”Beyond it is the inner courtyard area?”

”Almost.”

”Then these places are?”

”Possibly where Luo Yu and Xiangzi might be, but it’s not entirely certain—”

”And this place marked as a warehouse is...?”

”It’s where you retrieve your equipment.”

”...No, boss... Is this a thousand meters away?”

”Almost, why?”

ZXC silently closed the book, internally cursing MMP, calling this not far? The boss probably took the map scale from the boundless Silver Sand Sea and imposed it here indoors? A thousand meters in the wild and a thousand meters in the underground city are they the same?

Although here doesn’t quite qualify as a dungeon, it should be nearly the same, and the defense might be even tighter.

Fang Hong noticed his expression change, paused, and then understood what the other was thinking, offering reassurance: ”Don’t worry too much, a thousand meters isn’t really far, the enemy’s guard strength is weak, it’s easy to bypass.”

ZXC opened the book again, looked at the densely marked positions, number, and patrol routes of the guards, his eyelids couldn’t help but twitch a few times, he closed the book again, thinking it’s safer to consider the boss’s words more cautiously in the future.

For example, things like ’it’s safe ahead, you can pass boldly’, those are lies, must investigate himself, or he’ll die without knowing how—

But he obviously misunderstood Fang Hong.

When Fang Hong made this map, he considered another plan executed by the Shield of Lufu’s people, thus the strength was naturally referenced based on their power. Of course, Seven Seas Travel Group was long accustomed to this level of adventure, he regarded them a notch higher, neglecting the usual circumstances.

But only just a little bit higher.

Not much.

Moreover, what he said and answered was actually related only to the outer region, the inner courtyard would open action after the outer operation ends, and the teams meet up. He didn’t expect the operation to stay secret until then, the arcanists aren’t fools, there’ll definitely be a fierce battle.

That’s why he pursues a quick and decisive battle, to end the outer region action as fast as possible before exposure, and then lead everyone to seize the warehouse area, only then can future plans be considered.

”How do we leave this place?” someone asked.

Fang Hong had naturally considered this point long ago.

He gestured for ZXC to open the book and pointed at the map, saying: ”In this direction, there is a fortress, before entering the inner courtyard, we might first consider occupying this place as the last way out. Actually, in my original plan, this was our only escape route, after rescuing everyone, return the same way, and leave from here—”

”But the sandstorm outside...?”

”Precisely because of the sandstorm we can escape, otherwise, try it?” The other Shield of Lufu people clearly weren’t stupid either, immediately realizing this point.

Fang Hong also said: ”Indeed, a sandstorm is risky, but it’s better than staying here.”

The earlier person just mentioned it casually, after hearing Fang Hong’s explanation and his team’s, immediately understood. Everyone nodded in agreement with Fang Hong’s point.

But saying this, he hesitated for a moment, then said: ”That’s my original thought, but now, I have a new plan. This plan might sound a bit...uh, daring, but actually, it’s much more reliable than the first route. However, it might involve some risk, so I’d like to hear your thoughts...”

ZXC froze for a moment, though instinct told him the boss’s so-called adventure must be extremely convoluted. Driven by curiosity, he couldn’t resist asking: ”What plan?”

”Earlier, I heard a piece of information, the airship you came here with is still docked in the city—right in the central district of the inner courtyard, in a wind-sheltered garden.”

Upon hearing this, ZXC immediately sensed something wrong, quickly stopping and saying: ”Wait, boss, are you saying...?”

”I’m saying we can leave by air.”

”In this weather?”

Fang Hong lightly coughed once.

He certainly knew this sounded unreliable, but he decided on it after careful consideration, truth be told, escaping directly into the sandstorm, and entering by ship, the survival chance wasn’t much different—essentially escaping with a fatal resolve.

Yet within this, there are still subtle differences, escaping directly out of the fortress zone, but if they perish in the sandstorm, the resurrection region is merely several kilometers wide, very likely the chosen resurrection temple hasn’t even left the city.

While not dying in vain, it’s nearly the same.

But the airship is different, in this weather once airborne, even if it crashes ultimately, it might get blown over ten kilometers away. Resurrecting in such places is almost certainly in the wild’s holy sanctuary or small divine hall, within a refuge, under such circumstances, the arcanists and the fortress owner can’t possibly send people to search for them.

Therefore, both options sound like death, but evidently, the latter differs from the former.

After his explanation, the group half-heartedly understood, and the reason was due to the plan being somewhat convoluted. To seize an airship under the arcanists’ watchful eyes, and lift-off safely in such weather, eventually escaping to safety.